Brute Heart and Alcoholism

The effect alcoholism has on an Oregon family provides much of the drama in my novel, Brute Heart. The alcoholic father in the story is variously abusive, negative or indifferent toward his children which eventually affects their self-esteem and self-confidence. This becomes a vicious cycle when their emotional wounds lead them down the same path as their father.

As Gabrielle Glaser points out in her book, Her Best-Kept Secret, alcohol has become an inextricable part of our lives--especially women and especially wine. I have my glass or two of wine every night, but when I visit my sisters (both non-drinkers) I don't miss it one bit. Being the daughter of an alcoholic, I still wonder, however, if I could slip into the abyss someday. Again referencing Gabrielle Glaser's book, it isn't just young women who end up with drinking problems, it is grandmothers,too.